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Diseases, 23 Aug 2024
Battle with rust swings in growers’ favour
The secretive virulence genes that rust pathogens need to cause epidemics can now be identified en masse using a new CSIRO technique that provides the foundation for a more-rapid way to keep tabs on changes in rust virulence on wheat cultivars
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Diseases, 07 Aug 2024
10 years of discovery and impact celebrated
In April, Curtin University’s Centre for Crop and Disease Management celebrated its 10th anniversary. The celebration underscored the Centre’s role in promoting food security and agricultural sustainability, marking a milestone of excellence and impact in the field. Featured addresses from John Woods, chair GRDC and Professor Harlene Haines, Vice Chancellor of Curtin University, both praised the CCDM’s pioneering research in crop disease management and collaborative approach with industry partners.
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Diseases, 26 Jul 2024
Fight against cereal rusts enters a new era
The Australian Cereal Rust Control Program has entered a fifth phase, developing knowledge and technologies to better understand the pathogen and improve rust resistance in cereals. Here is a summation of the new work in progress.
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Diseases, 16 Jul 2024
FAW’s ability to adapt putting more crops at risk
The word ‘challenge’ dominated talk at the National Fall Armyworm (FAW) Research, Development and Extension Symposium in Brisbane in April. It is now in Victoria and it has also confirmed its presence in New Zealand. It is one of the most challenging and confronting pest management issues for growers.
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Diseases, 03 Jun 2024
Automated detection takes guesswork from fungicide response
BioScout’s next-generation spore traps leverage automated microscopy and machine learning to provide near real-time insights into airborne fungal disease threats. This allows growers to take targeted action and optimise spray programs, including through a newly launched automated surveillance network
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Diseases, 15 May 2024
Disease outlook and managing increased risk
GRDC Research Updates have foreshadowed a heightened risk of disease in 2024, while providing advice on the steps to take to minimise impact on grain yield. Providing a cereal disease outlook, plant pathologist Dr Grant Hollaway from Astute Ag said there was risk of yield losses from diseases including Septoria tritici blotch in wheat, net form of net blotch in barley and rust pathogens in both cereals.
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Diseases, 15 Mar 2024
Barley grass stripe rust variants characterised by increased virulence
BGYR (barley grass stripe [yellow] rust), was first detected in Australia in 1998, predominantly affecting wild barley grass weed species. Through comparative greenhouse studies, the Plant Breeding Institute established that the BGYR+ variant has shown increased virulence on several barley varieties at seedling growth stages.
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Diseases, 19 Feb 2024
The AFREN creed
Creeds can be powerful beliefs to live by and when it comes to dealing with fungicide resistance the Australian Fungicide Resistance Extension Network have developed the powerful Fungicide Resistance Five. A checklist, underpinned by science, this creed is a reminder as to how to mitigate the threat of resistance. Growers are encouraged to keep it top of mind.
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Diseases, 16 Feb 2024
Decision support tools aid disease management decisions
A suite of handy mobile devices is equipping growers and advisers to be better informed about crop protection practices. Through improving these management practises the risk of fungicide resistance can be reduced.
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Diseases, 15 Feb 2024
From the shelf to field failure: factors driving fungicide resistance
Three factors can drive fungicide resistance risk. Understanding the drivers is vital for risk mitigation and to this end a useful matrix is available to determine the overall risk of fungicide resistance developing. The matrix combines the type of fungicide being used, the risk of the pathogen developing resistance and risky agronomic practices that can drive fungicide resistance.